Festive Taste Test: Which supermarket makes the best Christmas pudding?

Festive Taste Test: Which supermarket makes the best Christmas pudding?

Scotsman Food and Drink Staff

Published:1:59 pmDecember 22, 2017

From ultra boozy delights to alcohol free examples, here’s how we thought the major supermarkets* measured up.

Supermarket Christmas puddings

Lidl Deluxe 24 month Matured Xmas Pudding

(907g, £11.99)

More boozy than a three day stag-do to Magaluf. This sponge would set a breathalyser off just looking at it. Delightfully heavy on the cognac and crammed pack with fruit and nuts.

Rating: ★★★★★

Co-op Irresistible Christmas Pudding

(454g, £4.00)

Loaded with fruit and nuts to the point where it’s difficult to identify any cake, this high fruit content retains the smell and flavour of alcohol giving a moist texture and an overall rich and luxurious taste.

Rating: ★★★★

Aldi, Specially Selected Exquisite Vintage Pudding

(907g, £9.99)

Made with premium Louis Royer VS Cognac this boozy Christmas dessert packs a punch. It’s also beautifully presented in green fabric packaging. Even granny will be impressed with this one.

Rating: ★★★★

This very fruity pudding has a nice flavour but if you want super boozy, this isn’t the pudding for you. If you’re trying to keep everyone in the family happy, the level is perfect.

Rating: ★★★★

Asda Extra Special Luxury Christmas Pudding

(907g, £6.50)

Packed full of fruit and nuts, including whole almonds and glace cherries, this pudd has a lovely authentic flavour of Christmas spices, but could be a little sweeter.

Rating: ★★★

Waitrose 12 Month Matured Christmas Pudding

(907g, £12.00)

Packed with so much fruit that you’d be forgiven for feeling like you’ve consumed one of your five a day, after a portion. In reality a tiny sliver of cake amounts to 350 calories. Truly delicious, but ultimately lacking a kick.

Rating: ★★★

M&S, Christmas pudding 6 month matured alcohol-free

(£4.00)

A pudding without alcohol may seem like Christmas without Santa, but the M&S take on an abstinent Yule isn’t lacking in flavour – it’s matured for six months which helps, making for an acceptable alternative.

Rating: ★★/★★★

Verdict

Despite creditable showings from Co-Op (who won the recent mince pie taste test) and Aldi, it’s budget supermarket Lidl who come out on top in the Christmas pud stakes. Soaked in booze, but not light on flavour either, it impressed our judges and nailed a five-star rating.

*We were unable to source a suitable Tesco or Morrisons pudding in time for our test.